


The Banished Winchester: Death Misterm'd

by Hunter Stu (stunudo)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-10-01 21:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20404927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stunudo/pseuds/Hunter%20Stu
Summary: Purgatory is the afterlife for all monsters. What happens when Dean's not-so-human daughter finds him among the things he hunts.





	The Banished Winchester: Death Misterm'd

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Incog_Ninja](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Incog_Ninja/gifts).

She had been running for ages, learning from each death like a fledgling gamer. Except she felt every slice of claws, every bite from the beasts that hovered in the shadows. The makeshift weapons took longer, hacking at her until she vanished, just to spring up somewhere else and yet in precisely the same circumstances: alone and vulnerable.

She had failed in life, dying to something as simple as a gunshot when she was days old. She wouldn’t let these savages keep taking from her. She was born to fight, to wage war. If she couldn’t do her people proud in life; she would do it in this place, a place where death never lasted, and the fight never ended.

Emma Winchester was an Amazon, whether she wanted to be or not.

*^*^*^

Benny was bored, the search for the Angel was all well and good, but it felt a little futile. Dean’s humanity was slipping through his seams, the hunt filling him like new stuffing. Grizzled and gruff, creature comforts came few and far between in No Man’s Land. Somehow the only thing keeping the kid focused was the dwindling trail for his buddy. Vampire or not, Benny recognized the last lifeline home.

Dean had his back, but if this angel changed their plans, he would make do. He always did. He wasn’t so sure if Dean would anymore. Benny wasn’t sure he wanted to either. It all seemed off. As much as Benny had hunches in life, he knew when to keep his thoughts to himself. Inklings were inklings, couldn’t do nothing about them until they took root.

*^*^*^

The rumors were getting ridiculous, lavish and triumphant battles all cut short by a wandering human. Tales like the boogeyman whispered in moments of sanctuary. Emma didn’t believe much, despite her empty gut clenching in warning memory. She moved through groups quickly, unwilling to get tangled in clan battles, knowing her kind wouldn’t debase themselves to such alliances.

She prayed for a Gorgon, maybe even a Minotaur. Something she could see and touch, something of home. What she got was more warnings from traumatized wolves. She paid them no mind, grabbing a fallen branch and stalking off, looping back to throw off her scent, carving passed the bark as she marched. Eyes on the river.

*^*^*^

The light was an illusion, there was no sun nor moon to guide them here. It was a form of radiation, a haze of poison agitating an already angry mob of monsters. Beings that had lost or mangled their souls beyond repair. Or the ancients, those formed from something older than humanity. Children of Eve and Leviathan, picking off the former humans with glee. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner: the masses were readily available and self-replenishing.

Castiel felt their eyes, despite the loss of connection to Heaven, he was still an angel. He felt the target burning against his skin, his scarlet letter, his truth. He knew Dean was making an impression, he just hoped his old friend was far away. As safe as this cursed realm would allow.

*^*^*^

They were on the second day down the river, on the dying words of another enemy. He never stood a chance. Another substitution of the Dean that was had Benny starting to regret Dean taking point so often. The angel was the goal; the clearing was approaching, physically and metaphorically. They all just needed to hang on now. Then they’d all have their answers.

*^*^*^

“Dean!”

The name wheezed over the babbling of the stream, deep voices continuing just out of earshot. She inhaled aghast at hearing that name, the meaning sank through her exhausted mind: hunter, father, ape. It was an old name, prestigious even, it could have belonged to anyone. But, Emma wasn’t an idiot.

All tall tales were once true.

She moved along the tree line, following the voices. There were two males, drenched in bits of others and the rancid sweat of countless bouts. She saw him, darker than she remembered. Teeth glinting as he joked with his companion. She wanted to kick them into his skull; her greatest failure smug and standing just yards away.

There was a part of her that she used against him before, a part of him really. It had nearly worked. She wouldn’t let herself lose again; she couldn’t be that close to vulnerable. Not here, not ever again.

She waited and watched.

*^*^*^

Their journey had been quiet, which only added to Benny’s growing agitation. Some unsettled anxiety thumbed the back of his mind, a phantom kettle left on. The constant gloaming was unnaturally quiet, no buzz of insects or calls of other night creatures. A herd ran a good two hundred yards off, footfalls fast and unyielding gone as quickly as they approached.

The shivering exhale of their tail gave Benny the certainty to act.

“Come on out now,” he drawled, long handled hatchet resting against his shoulder. Dean froze, scanning his edge of the circle as they stood back to back in practiced precision. They couldn’t put an eye on her, shoulder blades brushing as they turned back and forth.

Dean’s blood bubbled in anticipation, that adrenaline high warming him like a lingering summer breeze. Once she dropped to her feet in front of him, time stopped. Something flickered in his hooded eyes before a sinister smirk surfaced.

“Well, looky here,” Dean teased.

“Hi, Dad.” Emma was at the ready, calculating their weapons and their size.

“Emma. Long time.” Dean swallowed, starting to pace in front of his slight, teenage-sized daughter.

“Dean?”

“Where are my manners? Emma, this here is my buddy Benny. He’s a vampire. Benny, Emma, my little girl. She’s an Amazon, so careful. She’ll eat your heart if you let her,” Dean clicked his mouth.

Emma rolled her eyes before raising her brows in challenge.

Dean’s heartbeat just wouldn’t take the hint. Seeing Emma again was like a kick to the gut and a slap to the face all at once. She was just as pretty and vicious as she had been in life. Her eyes were glazed now, empty. He hadn’t let himself imagine her here, but of course his life was an unending cycle of bad to worse, choices and regret.

“Bet you’re surprised to see me,” Dean continued.

“Not really, your reputation is just as rotten here,” Emma replied, earning a slight chuckle from Benny.

“Teenagers,” the vampire chided.

“I’m three,” Emma corrected. “Or I was. Days. I was three days old when his brother shot me. So, keep your superiority to yourself, bloodsucker.”

“You were trying to kill me!” Dean balked, like it was all a big misunderstanding.

“It was my duty! Now I have no one. I fight and die and roam. Alone. For eternity. Happy?” Emma stormed forward, throwing Dean back on his heels at the sudden aggression.

Dean quickly disarmed her, tossing her spear to the side as he pinned her back to his chest, arms threaded through hers. Dean snorted, “Look, kiddo, happy ain’t for folks like us.”

Emma fumed, huffing and twisting against his soothing voice in her ear. Blinding rage filled her focus, shame burning every inch of her skin. He wasn’t mocking her, though gaining the upper hand was just another edge to the same blade. Emma threw her head back, slamming into Dean’s jaw, gaining a meager inch or two of give to his grip. She wrenched his elbow, throwing him with everything she had. She pulled his makeshift machete from its wedge in the ground. Heaving, she stood above him as he crawled to all fours.

A proud smirk curled Dean’s lips as he looked up to face his daughter. His eyes were far less endearing. She kicked him back to the earth, but Dean snatched her ankle as she pulled back. A shrill cry echoed the hollow forest, breaking as she hit the ground. The weapon flew up from her grasp and Dean caught it as he stood. He peered down the handle at terrified crystal eyes, eyes that cut him into a hundred pieces of the man he once was. Dean Winchester hesitated.

His daughter did not. She swiped wide with her discarded spear, which the tussle had moved serendipitously closer. Just as Dean dodged a second blow, Benny moved in. A swift meaty hand in her hair lifting her off the ground. In a flash his mouth closed over her jugular, drinking her down. It was over before the second round could begin. Dean couldn’t even form words, unsure of whose name would cross his lips.

“No,” Dean finally whispered, he had never tagged Benny in. Dean clenched his fist and exhaled.

Benny heard Dean behind them, but he knew what had to be done. He carefully brought the girl to the ground, mouth hovering above the bloody wound. Hot, red, tempting. He ignored the thriving pulse in his veins. She was obviously paler now, but not drained. She whimpered as her body met hard earth.

“‘Skay, Darlin’. Just lie still now. You can be done fightin’. Just let it go. It aint worth it no more.” Benny said lower than a whisper, watching her collect herself. Once she had stilled enough to resemble the grave, he stood. Her eyes flitted closed as Dean approached. Benny waved him off.

“Nothing you wanna see, Brother,” Benny cleaned up with his sleeve. Benny caught Dean’s eyes, dragging them back to his, away from the girl.

“Why’d you– I had it covered!” Dean snipped, pulling at his bottom lip and turning down river. Towards Cas once more.

“Hey, I just did what you couldn’t, no shame in that. Family’s— a different animal,” Benny tried to reassure.

Dean didn’t reply, he just moved on with renewed resolve, a heightened beat to each step.

Emma lay waiting, counting their footfalls as they disappeared. The chill of blood loss seeping into the scars and valleys, until it collected in her heart. A tiny piece of her died that day, deader than her uncle could ever kill her. She was born a warrior, had died a failure and now she waited as a Winchester.

^*^*^


End file.
